Giving this show a "B-"??? Dude you don't actually care about the show, just your stupid as hell review. "from today's remove this show is probably the best of this tour" - this was well-known in 1989 to be one of the if not the best show of the tour. Really! The first set is above average before We Can Run, didn't bother to mention the hot TN Jed. The Shakedown "pulls into a fine jam"?? Are you fking serious?? It tore the roof off the building you idiot. It's true, Hey Jude is sloppy, it usually was! I doubt they ever rehearsed it. Just stop with your back-patting reviews, seriously

I did shows in April - but not these, and the word was that it was ninety degrees inside, over-packed, and with a sour mood in the air. There was gatecrashing, injuries, and that this was starting to occur alarmed pre-touch Heads and the band alike. Newcomers didn't seem to sense the difference (though they were not to blame for the narcs that showed up in the lots and the police presence on all roads going out). The thing is, dark clouds reached the band onstage. That said, from today's remove this show is probably the best of this tour. One reason GDP officially released this show was because no great copies were in circ, which is odd for '89. Didn't the Help>Slip>Franks soundcheck used to circ? Seems to be missing.

First Set. The good Iko is an auspicious start. Right away it becomes a Brent show and stays so. Both "All Over Nows" are played - wonder how many of these shows there are. It's otherwise an average set until We Can Run. Whether or not this excites, it's actually one of the best versions (and the 5th one). This sets up for a tight and brisk Brown Eyed Women that's one of the year's best (along with 10/26). Queen Jane is nicely uptempo and a solid Music Never Stopped leaves 'em happy.

Second Set. Shakedown Street pulls into a fine jam. This was a great era for Dewiminna and also for Foolish Heart, which Jer was really into at the time. Drums>Space are way above average. But after these it turns into drummer soup. This gets progressively worse by Hey Jude. Ouch. Around & Around bottoms out and then Jer pulls a rabbit out of a hat. In classic dead magic Goin' Down the Road is one of the best versions of the late '80s! Lovelight then thrives from the energy.

1st Set:  B-
2nd Set: B-
Overall = 3½ stars

Highlights:
Brown Eyed Women - tight and brisk
Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad - a stellar version
Lovelight - takes advantage of x-factor

SOURCES: The first half of the 2nd set is usually up on YouTube, in iffy quality. Other than the official release, the matrix_mattman sounds best, though it has a couple edits in Drums, missing a minute and a half, and one @3:15 in Space missing almost a minute. The pasternak_89780 is a great AUD. Most of the rest run too fast.

I sang a little while and then flew on.

it was a hometown show fer me and a smoker at that but then again most were in the burgh. not really sure what went on outside heard conflicting reports. some said an arena worker was popping the door for $20 then said no more others say it was the Deadheads not sure. got on the news though the next year before the 3 Rivers show WTAE caught us in the lot the day before looking for tix at the box office. Oh well all the same I agree best show on the tour though 2nd Greensboro was close

Overall: it's unfortunate that none of the four versions of this show are very high quality, recording-wise. This show just smokes. One of the best of this tour, if not the best.

The scene: We got into the parking lot and the vibe in the bus should have let us know what we were in store for. Me and Larry had a blow-up about nothing. The whole lot vibe was really tense. I was in the hallway by the speakers during the first set and I saw someone popping a door open to allow some people in. Bad news. Next thing you know, it gets popped open once more and more than a dozen people push through before security shows up. Next thing you know, the glass doors are being busted in and over a hunder assholes are streaming in - while I'm pinned against the wall in horror at what my brothers and sisters are doing. And the worst part is that people inside were actually cheering for this. Later I found out that Chard wound up in the hospital after a vial of liquid broke in his pocket. His parents had to come down and he missed the rest of the tour. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. What a great show musically, but what a disaster in every other respect.

The music: damn, this is a fine fine show musically. Great song selection and fantastic, energetic playing. I'm not even going to point out any highlights - it's all good.

Go get it.

it takes 30 secs to kick in just like this matrix does.

I've never heard pittsburgh called the armpit of america before...

The Deads popularity was so huge at the time- Jerry had become a Divine Icon. Stadium shows would have worked best. Or big fields where the masses of followers could have gathered by the 100's of thousands. When 30 to 40 thousand show up for an arena that holds 20 or so-not good. And it was there furthest east coast show? My friend who didnt have a ticket said There were organized gatherings at the top of the hill-when they managed to gather a couple hundred people Some head blew trumphet call through his sea shell and the masses would charge 10 ft glass window part of the stadium(the exit doors were there too-but didnt open in time) I felt bad for the first wave of people -they got bloodied up pretty good. I'm just glad I was able to pay cash for a ticket-not blood

The sound's pretty good, but we're spoiled by the wealth of superior bootlegs. If it were any other band's bootleg I'd probably rate it a little higher. Definitely worth grabbing from the server.

right at the begining of space, jer echo's the begining note to St. Stephen.

Nice show

Thankfully, I was hanging out with my ex-wife at her place in O'Hara Township and missed this one. I heard a couple days later about all the nightmares with the heat, etc.. We'd just come from Lake Geneva, Wisc. (or was it Riverbend?) show and I was beat anyway. After Alpine Valley and all that, it was nice to be with someone I liked.

Good for you, Dan! Yelling at the "security" guys. Somebody with a flashlight should.

P@N

hey now- hey now. this is so cool- free show. Jerry would aprove.

Well, in response to the question asked down below, I didn't get a disease from the chick I banged in my tent in the parking lot.

This show's sound quality improves throughout Iko. It's heavy on the AUD portion of the Matrix mix until about 2 minutes into IKO. I have a feeling that the reviewer who said it sounds like shit didn't get past the first minute or two. Is it an amazing Matrix? No, but it definetley sounds better than an AUD version would have by worlds!! All the instruments are audible and Jerry sounds really energetic vocally!
The crowd is loving life!!
I woulda been too.
Shakedown is short but sweet.
3 stars more for sound than performance. 4 star performance, 3- star sound.

Riots ... cops ... gate-crashers ... what bad thing DIDN'T happen at these shows?

The 1st night of this run was a monster (2nd nite also good, but totally different vibe, much more mellow). Lots of hot jams throughout, and Shakedown is a real monster. Especially nice is the really good 2nd half of the 2nd set ... this is often a weak point in shows from this era, but not this puppy.

Well guys I wasn't there. But what I will say is that this show has highlights all over the place. The shakedown and the dear mr. fantasy and the transition from the gdtrfb to the around and around are out of this world. I could go on and on about my favorite show from the 80's but I won't. A Must Have!!!

this sounds like shit. dont download it unless you dont care about sound quality.

this sounds like shit. dont download it unless you dont care about sound quality.

On the 2nd, the only riot was the one I was having dancing my ass off at this high energy affair...what a blast...SHAKEDOWN...holy shit, batman...I loved it when, at the end of Women Are Smarter, when Bobby brought it down real low, and Jerry started strummin' Foolish Heart before Bobby could slam the Women Are Smarter home...Jerry just looked at him and shrugged with a shit eatin' grin on his face...Jerry was having a blast this night...hell, this whole tour...

This was the night of the riot...a very ugly and cold night that was made worse by the fact that I got shut out of the show. And it was a good one...better than the next night which I did get into.

Interesting dichotomy of scene/vibe b/w these and the next shows I got to at the Mecca...which were both so pleasant.

Anyway, good show.

This was a weird night, fer sure. The 1st set was upbeat, kinda felt like a sing along. some guy got all excited over his "1st BE Women" that he hugged me and gave me this huge crystal. The 2nd set rocked, They put the pedal down on Shakedown and didn't slow down until Baby Blue. The GDTRFB>Lovelight had us all dancin' in the aisles. The GD at their rockin' best, not alot of space just straight forward R & R.

These where weird times in the middle of America. I can't remember if this was the riot show or not, it was a long time ago, but I do remember that night the tension mounting with the staff inside. I was standing near the sound board between sets when a security guy started fucking with people. Eventually Healy lost it on him, pointing his flashlight at him saying, "The next one out of here is going to be you if you don't cut the shit" I mean busting people for just listening to music, it ain't right. Great show, get it, I give 4.5 stars but since someone gave the next night a 5 and this night was clearly superior I'll give it a 5. Let it Shine!

bad scene in the armpit of amerika. not
much to say other than the beginning of the end?
riot police on horses, people gate crashing,
fodder for the 6 & 11 anchorperson, while
mom's back in canada worried how her "blue-
eyed boy" is doing on tour. ugly, the beginning
of the end for me. . .

damn fine show.....wish we all had a better quality rec. but this one is better than the 3 disc package i got in 98' for like $70.00. ooooh man when i got home and found out i paid 70 bucks on a rec. that sounded like i was playing it on a victrola, i deffinately felt cornholed!